Saturday, March 28, 2015

Other Than Miniature Needlework

My passion to miniature needlework brought me to another level, or, I would say, direction. I've always been interested in Goldwork. You might want to ask how do they relate to each other?

One day I tried to experiment with Goldwork embroidery in miniature and finish a miniature Or'nue design. My adventure brought me to the conclusion that I need to learn more about metal thread embroidery.

I've signed up with EGA's (www.egausa.org) correspondence course "Metal Thread Embroidery" by Kay Stanis. I was happy to know this course was written by Kay Stanis, an internationally known Master Craftsman, Certified and Graduate Certified Teacher of the Embroiderers' Guild of America, Inc. (EGA) and Kurenai Kai Traditional Japanese Embroidery (www.the-gilded-edge.com/about). I was more than thrilled to know that Kay is planning to give classes at the end of April in Spokane and I will have a chance to meet her.

I commited to start my 6 months course on the 1st of April (no Fool's day for me) and today I received my first lesson

The most exciting part about the course is that there is no Supply List. I am allowed to use whatever I want, whatever I find. I've already collected a nice stash of gold and silver metal threads, cords and trims. What you can see on the picture is just a small part of my collection.

I am planning to give a detailed report of my studying process on my another blog that is devoted to needlework in real size www.needleworkobsession.blogspot.com. I use that blog as my diary learning process.

I am also looking forward to start working on beading a little Orthodox icon - St. Natalia the Miracle-Worker.

Hi Ntalia! Wow, you have some gorgeous plans and great new challenges :)! Personally I've never seen metal thread embroidery in RL, but I'm sure it will be gorgeous to see this new kind of embroidery work, here on your blog. And if I look at these pictures, I think that they will be miracles in metal thread :)! I wish you good luck and much pleasure with the courses.Have a nice weekend, dear friend.Hugs, Ilona

Wow, this is for sure a new level - I bet this metal thread embroidery will lead to stunning results. I really admire you but have no doubt that you will manage to get stunning results, you're a good team, your needle and you, whether with normal or metal thread. I must admit I never got warm with metal threads, had to use them for a cross-stitch picture with a Christmas tree with gold trimming once and yes, this made some heavy curses in Old Babylonic necessary... ;O) And the picture you're going to create for your daughter will become a piece to be treasured for sure.